Carissa Paccerelli, a student from Pasadena High School, is one of the seven winners of the PTA Reflections Art Contest recognized at the 2018 California State PTA Convention in Ontario last weekend.

Since 1969, the PTA Reflections Program has encouraged millions of students across the nation to create works of art. It challenges students to create art inspired by a specific theme. The 2017-2018 theme is “Within Reach”. In California, more than 30,000 students participated in this year’s program with 501 entries going to the State level.

According to Lisa Snowiss, California PTA Reflections Chairman, “It is truly one of the hardest jobs – choosing from all these great artworks. The seven students invited to the conference represent the Best of the Best in each category. These students were selected because they expressed the best interpretation of this year’s theme in their artist statement and entry.”

The Reflections Art Program has annually recognized elementary through high school students from around the country for artistic ingenuity as expressed in dance choreography, literature, photography, film production, music composition, and visual arts. Each year, competitors are asked to bring a different theme to life in a way that is personal and meaningful. The California State PTA and its members are on the forefront of this amazing program, which increases community awareness of the importance of arts in education.